Keep Calm . . . Craft On

Joining Nicole at Frontier Dreams today.


There is always a good bit of crafting going on around here.  Mostly knitting, though.  Recently, however, I was asked to coordinate the children's creation for our Waldorf preschool school auction.  (Our preschool is just that, a preschool and kindergarten.  This school does not offer a grades program.)  A painting.  Huh?  Me?  I don't paint.  And I had no idea how to help the children accomplish this even though I would have the resources of our teachers.  Then I came across this post from Passengers on a Little Spaceship and an idea was born . . .  perhaps stolen is more accurate of a description!


But then, what scene to create?  I decided on a rainbow bridge as an illustration of the birthday story told in Waldorf kindergartens the world round.  So, I came up with this little prototype:



And added an angel in the upper left hand side.  Of course, she is leading a child to the rainbow bridge!


So, how to turn that idea into something our 19 kindergarteners could create?  (Because I had decided I wasn't up for creating 3 projects with 60 or so children ages 2.5-6.  Plus, I thought the finished piece would have more appeal as a keepsake if created by the members of the kindergarten class.)


Last Wednesday morning, I carted my supplies to school.  My years of crafty hoarding were finally paying off.  I didn't buy a single thing for this project!  I'd had this Peace Fleece roving in my stash since Coco was 2 or 3!  This is how it went . . . .

And this is how the craptastic thing ended up . . .

I tried rotating this before uploading, but, apparently it didn't take. . . much like the felting!

Yes, indeed, folks, I learned something with this project.  The roving needs to be laid much more sparingly if it is to felt properly.  But, no worries!  Also among my stash of crafting goodies are felting needles.  I've already broken one finishing this up.  Next week I'll share a picture of the item post op.  I am happy to report that the prognosis is good!


On a happier note, here is the Rainbow Sweater I created for the auction.  Our auction is called the Rainbow Bridge Auction.  Can you see, now, from whence my inspiration came?

This is my own pattern.  I also made one last year.  But it came out slightly different.  Still trying to perfect the fit.  The yarn comes form a former Waldorf handwork teacher and can be found in her Etsy shop, Mama Jude's Plant Dyed Stuff.  And, of course, this project had it roots in my enormous stash.  I'd had visions of some rainbowy project several years ago and bought these lovelies from Judy. Two years later, I finally made something out of it.  Here is the first one: 

What are  you working on?

Easter 2012

It was great fun trying to pry that sticker off of his face before Mass . . . especially since it had already been there for two days!  

A lovely bracelet with guardian angel charm from Mimi.  Brought back from her recent trip to Australia!

I felt the need to replace the knitting doll that came in this kit she received for Christmas.  The one in the kit is almost useless since the prongs are incredibly short.


We made it to church!  Together!  All of us!  Early even!  But, of course, there is no photographic evidence of that feat.  But, first, there was the matter of the Easter baskets.

I do not purchase new baskets every year.  Especially after having found these lovelies last year.  I don't even recall where I found them.  With Gian's birthday falling so close to Easter this year, which necessitates a visit from my mother. . . and her birthday is the day before. . . and mine is 8 days later . . . and Spring Break was then tossed in there . . . I felt a little lacking in the Easter basket department.  I had found some activity books for Coco (word search, mazes) and a few crafty things.  But Gian did not have much.  And I didn't want a repeat of last year.  I created an Easter egg hunt before church complete with chocolate filled eggs.  Fiasco.  They were so hyped on sugar during Mass, it was challenging to say the least.  This year I got the bright idea of putting the candy-filled plastic eggs in their baskets instead and signing up for the church's egg hunt.  And since those little eggs hold, well, very little, it worked out very well.

And since we had not done the church Easter egg hunt previously, I did not know it was not a dash and scramble, but rather, just go pick up 5 eggs laying on the lawn and then report to the prize table for a prize.  So, we got to church at 9 or 9:45 for that . . . and were done 15 minutes later.  So, we had an hour to wait for Mass.  So, we were able to take a picture with the Easter bunny . . . but not realize Mr. Man's goal of finding said bunny again for a "high five".

I think this is my favorite picture of them together!  Can't you just feel the love?

What was that?  The dress?  Did I knit it?  I'm so happy you asked!  Why yes, I did!  It's Bloom, and yes, I forgot to put a ribbon in the darn thing in the eyelet row.  I'm just so happy I finished it!  The shrug is an upsized version of the Confection Baby Shrug.  I think I had a whole yard of yarn left when all was said and done!  Last year, I knit a vest and longies for Gian.  Perhaps if I start now, I can manage to have outfits knit for both of them for next Easter!

I hope your family had a wonderful Easter, too.